Buying a Home in the Winter

Spring and summer may be the busiest times for home sales but buying a home in the winter offers advantages of its own. Here are several reasons why you should consider searching for your dream home this winter season.

Less Competition from Buyers

Winter tends to be a slow time for home buyers. The days are shorter, and the weather is colder.

This means that a lot of potential home buyers are putting off their search until the conditions improve. If you can brave the cold, this means that you will have less competition for your dream home.

Motivated Sellers

Typically, home sellers in the winter are more motivated to sell their home. When markets are hot, sellers have the luxury of sitting back and exploring more offers.

In the winter, however, competition is low, and sellers are also distracted by the holidays and the cold weather leading them to be a little more casual in their sales process.

You Get to See the Home in the Cold

Perhaps, the best aspect of seeing a house in the winter is your ability to preview the house under tougher conditions. Weather extremes, especially intense cold, are much more common in the winter.

Knowing how the house handles such weather is key to making an informed decision. You can see how well the house retains heat, where drafts come and go, and what features, indoors or out, need repairs.

Easier for Moving

Obviously, moving your stuff during the dead of winter does not sound fun. That said, since there are fewer home buyers, there is also less competition for moving companies.

This makes it easier (often quicker, too) to find a company to help handle all the logistics of your big move-in! Just remember that if you have the movers move your plants, it could be ugly (I know this from first-hand experience—but that is another story).

Quicker Closing Process

As we mentioned above, closing a deal is often quicker in the winter. So is securing financing for your new house. In fact, the entire closing process is often much quicker since there are altogether fewer home buyers vying for the limited time and resources of all those involved.

So, if you are looking to buy a home but don’t think winter is the right time for you, think again! There are several advantages to entering the real estate market this winter season. You might just land upon your perfect home!

For guidance on residential real estate transactions, book a consultation with Lee Scott Perres, P.C.